In April 2027, my brother and I will be running the London Marathon together in support of HEART UK – The Cholesterol Charity.

This is about far more than crossing a finish line.

In December 2025, our dad suffered a heart attack which led to a cardiac arrest. Thanks to the incredible work of the paramedics, who managed to resuscitate him after around 10 minutes and the amazing team at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital, he survived.

After spending weeks in intensive care and undergoing two stent procedures, he is now home and recovering.

That experience changed our family forever.

It made us realise just how fragile life can be, but also how important awareness, research and early diagnosis are when it comes to heart health.

After his cardiac arrest, we learned that our dad had extremely high cholesterol. Like so many people, he had no idea.

High cholesterol is often called a silent condition because it usually has no symptoms. Many people don't discover they have it until they suffer a serious event such as a heart attack or stroke.

That's why we've chosen to run for HEART UK – The Cholesterol Charity.

HEART UK works tirelessly to raise awareness, provide expert support and information, campaign for better diagnosis and treatment, and help people understand and manage their cholesterol before tragedy strikes.

For us, the London Marathon carries an extra layer of meaning. The final miles take runners past Westminster Bridge, just across the river from Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital, the place where our dad's life was saved.

Crossing that finish line together, so close to where our family's story could have ended very differently, will be incredibly emotional.

Every donation, no matter how big or small, will help HEART UK continue its lifesaving work and support more families affected by high cholesterol and inherited conditions such as familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH).

Thank you for supporting us, cheering us on, and helping us make a difference.

Kacper & Karol